About Fat Transfers

When someone loses/gains weight or ages, they lose that smooth and plump look in various body features where volume was once plentiful. Look at a child or a young person: notice how full and round their face is compared to that of an older person.

Indeed, careful photographic comparisons of individuals in photographs taken when they were younger to photographs taken today demonstrate that loss of volume with aging is much more striking than drooping or skin laxity.

A new way to regain this lost volume is through an aesthetic procedure known as fat grafting (a fat transfer).

This treatment takes fat from a section on the body, and transfers it to another area that could use additional volume.

A fat transfer can be used on large areas such as the buttocks or breasts or on delicate features such as the lower eyelid, cheeks, or lips.

Fat grafting and transfers are generally chosen when a patient desires a longer-lasting result compared to having fillers or implants.

Ideal Candidates

Individuals who want additional fullness on the body or face that appear hollow, thin, or deflated may be great candidates for a fat transfer.

This procedure is even more advantageous because it provides a natural approach to create results by using the patient's own fat.

Men and women considering this treatment at Scottsdale Plastic Surgery must be at a healthy weight and have fat to remove for the transfer. Furthermore, patients must avoid tobacco use, as the nicotine in tobacco interferes with the blood supply needed for the transferred fat to survive.

Reviews

"Been to this office before and the staff is wonderful. The doctor is great and I love his work."

- Anonymous / Office Visit / Apr 26, 2018

"I cannot say enough great things about Dr. Nachbar and his staff. Since his staff were my first and last points of contact, I'll start with them. They were incredibly friendly and helpful. I flew in from out of state for tattoo excision. From the initial contact to walking out the door following my surgical follow-up the day after the procedure, they were kind, polite and accommodating. The smiles and kindness don't feel put on or forced -- his staff seem to be genuinely happy, nice people. Dr. Nachbar was very polite and extremely good at what he did. He gave me a great explanation of what he would do and he was able to exceed my expectations. I had minimal post-surgical pain -- I have actually managed my pain with OTC pain relievers, although he did give me a prescription. Dr. Nachbar was very respectful and treated his staff in a respectful fashion as well. I was very happy with the treatment I received and I highly recommend Dr. Nachbar. I legitimately wish I had known of him and seen him first for excision tattoo removal before spending $2K on laser treatments that had no measurable affect."

- E.J. / Yelp / Sep 20, 2018

"It's been 7yrs and my surgery results are still amazing. I get a text from Dr. Nachbar's office every year checking in with me. I can't recommend them highly enough. After my experience there my friend also went in and had a procedure and is extremely happy with her results as well."

- D.A. / Yelp / Sep 20, 2018

"Tummy Tuck - The overall care, skill and follow up by Dr. Nachbar and his staff were outstanding. The same can be said about Greenbaum Surgery Center who did an excellent job.My surgery was done in the morning approx 8:30 a.m and by 5:00 pm I felt very confident that the final result will be great. Dr. Nachbar visited me that night which was very comforting. He's compassionate and highly skillful at his profession."

- Anonymous / RealPatientRatings / Sep 06, 2018

"Liposuction - The doctor was extremely nice and made me feel comfortable. Also, the care coordinator/nurse Tracy was so friendly."

4.9

Surgical Technique

When small amounts of fat need to be transferred, the procedure is often done under local anesthetic.

The method of sedation or numbing medication will be based upon how much fat is being extracted and the location of where it will be reinstated.

Liposuction is first performed via a thin, special cannula to carefully remove and take the fat, and it will then be purified and transferred to small syringes for transfer.

Very tiny amounts of fat are placed in microinjections, to maximize the amount of fat that will survive in its new location.

After preparing the injection site, the healthy fat tissue will be added to the area that needs volume. The injection process is performed in layers until evenness has been attained. For certain body parts, multiple injections will be needed.

What to Expect

The length of recovery will vary substantially, based on the amount of fat transferred and the area treated. However, in order for the fat to survive in its new location, new blood supply must come to the fat. Movement and shearing, in particular, can slow or prevent this growth of new blood supply, so minimizing movement of the area to which fat has been transferred is important. In addition, shearing or sliding on the area should be avoided.

The sites affected will appear red and slightly swollen, but the visible outcomes can be seen almost immediately. An additional bonus is the area where fat was extracted will appear slimmer. Some resorption of the transferred fat is expected, and not all of the transferred fat survives.

For some, a subsequent additional transfer may be desired down the road. There is minimal scarring associated with with this procedure.

Plan Your Procedure

Take the Natural Approach

If you wish to attain fuller lips or fill in lines and wrinkles, this treatment may be a great option. Moreover, a fat transfer works very well for the body, such as the breasts and buttock. There also are many other alternatives for enhancement. We invite you to call to schedule your consult with Dr. Nachbar at Scottsdale Plastic Surgery.